Seahawks midseason awards: the biggest surprises overall

The Seahawks are looking pretty good at the halfway point with their 6-2 record. Here’s what we think have been the biggest surprises so far.

The Seahawks have had more than a few surprises on their way to their 6-2 record. We’re not talking about individual players here, as we’ve already covered that. We’re looking at personnel moves, coaching decisions, or – well, read on and you’ll find out.

Contributor Blake Waldron: The acquisition of Josh Gordon was a huge surprise. For a team that’s thin at almost every position except receiver, this was a very shocking move. The Seahawks now carry 8 wideouts on the roster who needs depth in both the secondary and on their offensive line. Not to mention their inability to generate a pass rush which could’ve been aided with a transaction. The fact that Gordon was even available in the first place was astonishing not to mention that the Seahawks were willing to take a swing on him. The move was incredible value-wise and adds to an already talented Seattle passing attack. It’s now on the coaching staff to utilize their guys in a way that maximizes their potential.

Contributor Colby Patnode: Well, good thing it happened today because I was stumped by this question. But the Seahawks claiming Josh Gordon was a lovely surprise to see this afternoon. Not so much that the Seahawks would be interested, they should be, but to see that nobody ahead of them put in a claim is honestly bizarre. If you had told me the Seahawks gave up a fourth or fifth-round draft pick for Gordon on Tuesday, I would have been just fine with that. Today they got him for free. So yeah, I’m pleasantly surprised by this.

Contributor Geoff Shull: My biggest surprise would be how reluctant Pete Carroll is to go for it in late game / key down scenarios on 4th and short. A study was done back in 2013 that concluded a whopping 62.7% of the time the conversation is made. The key statistic for me would be last season we finished with the third-highest conversation rate in the NFL at 81.25%. The Seahawks have one of the best running backs with yards after contact in the NFL in Chris Carson. We also have the potential MVP of the league in Russell Wilson who has perfect chemistry with his star wide receiver Tyler Lockett. Considering the offensive firepower the team has, Pete should have more faith in his core and allow them the chance of converting instead of relying on what has proved to be a shaky specials teams group.

Co-expert Todd Vandenberg: My biggest surprise has been the performance of Rashaad Penny. It’s probably more accurate to say it’s the lack of his performance. I totally bought the hype on his offseason work to improve his game. Instead of improving, he’s taken a major step back from his rookie season. So far he has just 187 yards from scrimmage and only 33 touches. The coaching staff doesn’t seem to have a lot of faith in him. Why else would he get zero touches against the Ravens? I have to think he only saw as much action as he did last week because the team had him on the trading block. Yes, I broke the rule and wrote about a player. So, I’ll say I’m surprised the Hawks didn’t use him versus Baltimore, so it wouldn’t be so obvious they were just trying to sell him off last. week. Fixed it.

Co-expert Lee Vowell: I am not really surprised that Seattle is 6-2 halfway through eight games, but I am surprised in the manner they got there. We still don’t know who the Seahawks are. They could be a really good team, like the first half against the Falcons. Or they could be less-than-average, like the second half against the Falcons. Seattle has beaten the Bengals, Steelers, Browns, and Falcons (all bad teams) by a combined 14 points. But then they have beaten the Rams. I am not sure what Seattle is and the way they have been so inconsistent it is a bit surprising they are 6-2.

The Hawks have provided more than their share of surprises so far this season. Not all of them have been good, either. The jury is out on how Josh Gordon is going to play for Seattle. For now, just the fact that Seattle landed him is one of the biggest surprises of the year.